Found Redemption
by Paranoidgirl
Summary: AU; Central decided not to help out Tygan when he called. Some other people did.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: An AU idea that has been stirring for a while and some choice things Central said in the Tactical Legacy Pack sparked the flames even more. What if they indeed didn't pick up Tygan? The result isn't as dour as you might think.

* * *

When he first came to, he wondered if he had died. But then the sensations started to hit. He was still crumpled on the floor of his laboratory, face resting in a pool of blood that came from the back of his head. He didn't want to imagine how it looked. If felt… agonizing. Like no pain he'd ever felt. He wanted to touch it, even if logic dictated that was the worst idea. However, he could barely move and even a few seconds after having awoken, he felt himself slipping again.

He was dying.

And even if he wasn't, if the people he managed to contact didn't come quickly, he doubted ADVENT would let him live after this. He clung to that taught. That they would come for him. It lingered when he faded away again.

They would come…


	2. Chapter 2

The next time he came to was because he was kicked in the stomach, the loud, all too familiar barks of ADVENT soldiers making it through the haze as he curled up within himself. Like he predicted, they figured it out and they were none too happy.

Where was Xcom?

He couldn't have been that isolated. Was he being guarded too heavily? Did the message not reach them in time?

Where were they?

These were the questions in his head as he was roughly pulled on his knees, making him more confused than afraid.

That fear came when a rifle was aimed at his head, ready to fire. Even now, there was a glimmer of desperation. This couldn't be the end. It just couldn't…

"Please…" Tygan managed. Who he asked, even he didn't know at this point.

It was answered, however, as a sudden gunshot rang out and whoever aimed the gun at him was blasted to the side due to the impact. He was thrown to the ground by whoever held him up and the rest was… chaos. Gunshots. Shouting. A fight.

People came.

Despite the danger he was now in and the fact that he could still barely move, Tygan managed a smile, relief washing over him. Someone knelt down next to him, touching him carefully.

"Are you all right?" He could hear the man ask. "Can you hear me?"

"You came…" Tygan managed.

"We are here to extract you. Please hang on." The man said. Something about his voice felt slightly off. But it didn't bother Tygan. He was just happy that someone was kind to him. It had been so long. He could feel himself being picked up and placed on someone's back. He could feel a soft sensation on his face. Fur… He couldn't help but nuzzle into it as he held on to whomever was carrying him now. "You will be safe."

"Thank you…" He managed. However, as he was carried off, both the relief and his head trauma once again got the better of him and he faded away again.


	3. Chapter 3

Once he came to again, he felt a lot better. His wound appeared to have been dressed, he was laying on what felt like a bed and there was a rather blissful silence. After laying there for a while, he managed to sit up. The back of his head still hurt like hell, but he didn't feel like dying any more. He looked around carefully. The room he found himself in was rather spartan. A bed. A nightstand with a glass of water. A window. Still, it felt warm somehow. Welcoming. Safe.

"I see you are awake." Someone said when entering the room. That voice. The voice of his savior. It felt good to finally have a face with it. Even though that face looked disturbingly like ADVENT. "Please do not be afraid. We are not ADVENT. Not any more." Tygan paused. He heard of these beings. ADVENT dissenters. That really was the only information he had that he could say was accurate. The rest was… very likely lies made up by ADVENT.

"Skirmishers, correct?" He asked.

"Correct. You are at our headquarters." This was somewhat confusing. He didn't try to contact the Skirmishers. And he didn't figure he was on their radar.

"Not so sound ungrateful but… how did you find me?" Tygan settled on that. "You weren't whom I contacted."

"If you are able to, I will bring you to our leader; Betos. She will explain." The man answered. Tygan nodded as he carefully got up from the bed. He wavered slightly when he did so. The other man was almost instantly at his side, supporting him at his shoulders.

"I'm fine…" Tygan managed, but try as he might, he couldn't find himself to make any other moves.

"You are not." The man said before pushing him back into the bed rather roughly. "We will do this later." Tygan didn't protest. He did feel rather horrible still. That being said…

"Who are you?" He asked the man, who just looked at him strangely. "I know your voice. You were the one that saved me. Carried me out of that… that hell." Tygan said. "I'd like to at least know your name."

"Pratal Mox." The man answered.

"Thank you, Pratal."

"Call me Mox."

"Alright. Thank you, Mox."


	4. Chapter 4

The next few days were spent recovering, Mox tending to him. It became very clear that this wasn't his usual work, as he handled Tygan somewhat roughly. Yet, it wasn't out of malice. If anything, Mox tried really hard to make him feel comfortable. And that alone was all the comfort Tygan needed. The fact he could look outside was another. He didn't know how long he spent in the laboratory ADVENT carted him off to after they figured out he was in contact with the resistance, but it had been too long. The building they were in was in a forested area. Probably somewhere North as there were a lot of snow-covered pines surrounding the building. It was rather calming to look at. And he actually had a sense of time now.

It took him about a week to get well enough to meet up with Betos. Her living quarters were just as bare as his. Mox guided him to a chair in front of her desk where she sat, waiting.

"Doctor Tygan." She said with a nod.

"Betos." Tygan returned, also nodding. "May I start off with expressing my deepest gratitude for saving me." He started. "Though I don't quite know how you would pick up my transmission…"

"We did not. Xcom did." Betos said, her stoic face going down into a frown. It made Tygan uneasy. If Xcom received his message, then why was it the Skirmishers that came?

"Was this a joint effort?" Tygan tried, not able to hide a tinge of dread. Did this mean…?

"It was not. We have one of our own currently working with XCom. They told us about your message after XCom's current leader decided they would not come for you." This made the bottom of his stomach drop. They didn't help him by their own choice?

"Did they… state a reason?" He carefully asked. Though he had a sneaking suspicion.

"The fact you were a part of ADVENT." Mox answered, a hint of anger making itself known. "This was enough for them to turn their backs on you."

"I… see." Was all Tygan could manage. They didn't even bother… Didn't even try. Him having worked with ADVENT was enough for them to pass on him over.

"This upsets you." Betos stated.

"Somewhat." Tygan lied. "I figured I would at least be considered to be of use. I could not have predicted they'd just… pass me over."

"We agree. And that is why we decided to answer that call ourselves and extract you." Betos told him, a hint of sympathy. "We know how some of the Resistance treat those who were once ADVENT, even despite our efforts."

"I see…" Tygan repeated, not really knowing what else to say or ask. This news left him feeling… numb.

A hand on his shoulder. Mox.  
"We should continue this another time." He said."You need rest."

"So it seems. Please take your time to recover. We will continue this once you processed what happened." Betos said. Tygan nodded as he got up and let Mox guide him back to his room. He didn't say anything. Didn't do anything as he just let himself be guided.

"Do you need anything?" Mox asked once they returned to his room. Tygan just looked down.

"For now I just need some time alone."

"I understand." Mox said, heading for the door. "Please do say if you need anything. My quarters are next to yours."

"I will, don't worry." Tygan said, laying down on his bed and curling up. He felt so cold all of a sudden…


	5. Chapter 5

The next day he didn't get out of bed. Nor did he touch his meal that Mox brought. For the first day, there was no comment. The next day, however…

"You need to sustain yourself." Mox said, approaching Tygan, who had hardly moved from his position on the bed.

"I'm not hungry." Tygan simply answered. It was only partly true. He didn't feel like eating. Or getting up. Or doing anything. He could hear Mox approaching him, putting a hand on his back.

"Look at me."

"Please, just go away."

"If you look at me." Tygan let out a sigh, but did manage to drag himself in a sitting position as he looked up at Mox. His face was surprisingly expressive, showing a mixture of sadness, sympathy and understanding.

"It is all right." He softly said. "I too had this sense of loss and emptiness once I was freed. A lot of us here had. Very likely all of us."

"This isn't like that." Tygan protested. "I didn't feel lost when I found out about ADVENT'S true agenda. In fact, I knew exactly what to do. I was already coming up with ways to make up for my misdeeds. I may not be able to fight but I was sure my scientific knowledge could mean something to Xcom. I was ready to do anything to help them." Tygan could feel tears forming. "And then they just didn't bother. Because I was once ADVENT." He clenched his fists. "I nearly killed myself trying to separate from ADVENT! What more did they want?! What more could I do?!" He was shaking now. Mox seemed to notice his distress and placed his hands on Tygan's shoulders, steadying him.

"There was nothing else you could do. Their inability to see beyond your past is not your doing." Mox told him. "All you can do now is prove them wrong."

"I-I know." Tygan said, calming down somewhat, now that he had screamed out his pent up emotions. He tried to focus very hard on everything that did go right. "I'm sorry. Here I am, mourning what could have been, instead of appreciating what is." He wiped his tears. "You and your people have been nothing but kind to me. I shouldn't be like this."

"It is all right."  
"Still, I want to…" Tygan started. "I want to help. I've spent years researching for ADVENT, there must be something I can do with that knowledge besides no longer using it for the enemy."

"I am sure we can find something." Mox said. However, whatever they wanted to say was interrupted by a loud rumble from Tygan's stomach. "But right now you need to eat." This made Tygan laugh. "Did I say something funny?"  
"No. Or yes. It's just…" Tygan started. "I'm starting to really like you, Mox."

"I am starting to really like you as well." Mox answered as he too managed a small smile, which caused Tygan to really feel happy for the first time in a long while.


	6. Chapter 6

_A Few Months Later_

" _I am injured!"_ Rang through Tygan's earpiece as he ran across the forested ground to find some cover behind a large fallen tree. He only barely managed as bullets flew over his head just a little close for comfort.

"Try to stay in cover. I will be there shortly." He curtly replied, trying to remember where exactly Mox was. This was supposed to be an easy mission. A small supply run (Or raid, really) but apparently ADVENT really didn't want this particular train to be taken. And now they were running through the woods, trying really hard not to get killed. Tygan craned his head, trying to find Mox through the vegetation. "Come on, where are… there!" He spotted Mox currently being pinned down by the ADVENT unit's captain, who kept firing at his position. He needed help fast.

"Lobo. Get this soldier off me." Tygan called from his own cover to another squad mate.

" _It will be done."_ She answered and soon enough, the soldier shooting at Tygan was being pulled away by a cord and taken care of by Lobo. Tygan took this chance as he rushed at the Captain, own ripjack at the ready as he stabbed it into his enemy's neck, keeping it there as the ADVENT Captain started convulsing and sputtering out his dying breath, before dropping to the ground. Tygan hardly reacted, just wiped the blood off the fur collar of his thick brown overcoat.

"Apologies for the delay." He said, turning his attention to Mox, who was currently clutching a badly bleeding shoulder. "Sit down." He ordered, opening the leather mailbag he had slung over his shoulder, taking out his medical equipment.

"The others…"

"The others will be better off if you don't get yourself killed." Tygan stopped him as he started treating the wound. "Still… this needs more attention then I can give it right now." He said, taking out a small injector which he placed against Mox' neck, injecting some painkillers. "This will have to do." Mox got up immediately. "Don't get yourself killed."  
"I do not intend to." With that, Mox re-entered the fray. Tygan sighed, but couldn't resist a smile.

"How did you ever manage without me?"


	7. Chapter 7

Once they were back at the base, Tygan prepared to do a better job on Mox's shoulder. That's how it usually went. Mox getting injured in the field. Tygan patching him up well enough so that he could fight again and once they were back he'd make sure he wouldn't lose permanent use of a limb or two. To be honest, most Skirmishers were like that. There was a recklessness to their way of combat. It didn't really bother Tygan. It came from a place he was all too familiar with; a desperation to make up for past misdeeds. While their circumstances were different, the Skirmishers seemed to understand him in this regard. Even beyond that, they seemed to understand him and he, in turn, understood them. It created a strong bond between them. It made Tygan feel… at ease. Accepted. At home.

So he couldn't quite explain why he felt uneasy when Betos called on him.

Even more uneasy when he walked into her quarters and she was not alone.

"You gotta be kidding me..." Betos' visitor muttered under his breath as Tygan entered, bowing slightly as a greeting.

"You wished to see me?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the stranger and trying to get a grasp on what sort of person he was dealing with. Older man. Appeared to be military. Scarred face suggested he had been active in the field.

"Tygan. Meet John Bradford." Betos started. "He is with XCom." Tygan felt himself stiffen almost immediately.

Xcom…

The people that left him to die.

"Uhm. Hi." This Bradford said, sounding extremely awkward. "You might remember me."

"I do." Tygan said coldly before turning to Betos. "Why was I called?"

"Bradford came for you with a proposition." A proposition? Tygan could sense where this was going and he did not like it. Not after what they did.

"Yeah. Despite making some good progress, we've hit some snags on the road. We really need someone with scientific knowledge to really start becoming a threat to ADVENT."

"And this wasn't a concern the first time I contacted you?" Tygan asked, still cold.

"It was. Sort of. Back then we were just starting out and we hardly had the resources to keep ourselves afloat, let alone get deep into enemy territory to extract you."

"Then there's, of course, my once being a part of ADVENT."

"Listen, you have to understand…"

"I understand perfectly well. That doesn't take away that you decided to leave me to die."

"How was I supposed to know you would carve your head open like a goddamn Christmas turkey?"

"Did you really think ADVENT would let me get away with trying to contact you? How ignorant do you have to be?!"

"Tygan!" Betos interrupted the two men. "That is quite enough." Tygan simple looked away, crossing his arms.

"YOU have to understand that having nearly died down in that… that hell might have scarred me beyond just what you can see." He softly said. Surprising him, Bradford just nodded.

"I understand." He said.

"Could you leave us for a moment?" Betos asked as Bradford nodded and left the room. There was an uneasy silence between the two of them for a while.

"Apologies for my behavior." Tygan eventually started. "I figured I was past these feelings of betrayal, but it seems that isn't the case."

"Would these feelings impede your judgement if you were to work for them?" Betos asked, Tygan couldn't help but frown.

"I can't say they won't. I can only say that I will try." He answered.

"You will be going?" Betos asked. Tygan nodded solemnly.

"A lot is at stake. In the end, my feelings on the matter shouldn't stand in the way of things." He said.

"Good. I do not wish to give orders that harm my people." Betos said. "That being said, please do try to act professionally."

"When have I not?" Tygan said as Betos just looked at him skeptically. "Fair enough." He conceded and went for the door, seeing a somewhat restless Bradford lean against a wall.

"You can come in again." Tygan said as Bradford did so. "I've decided to take up your offer and join XCom. I think we can all agree that if we want to defeat ADVENT, we need to work together."

"That's good to hear." Bradford said, smiling. "Listen, I know we got off on a bad start there, but I do want to make this work."

"We all do." Betos said. "I trust you will take good care of Tygan. If not…"

"I'd rather not find out." Bradford said, before turning to Tygan. "Just say whenever you're ready. I'll be waiting outside." With that he left as Tygan turned to Betos.

"I guess this is goodbye for now." He said as Betos nodded quietly.

"Know that you will always be welcome here." She said, smiling warmly. "You are one of us. You always will be."

"Thank you." Tygan said, bowing, before heading to the door.

"Vox Tala For Ten, Tygan."

"Vox Tala For Ten."

He made one final round through the base. There were many goodbyes and well wishes. Also a number of 'If they harm you, we will come for them' which Tygan appreciated but would probably not share with Bradford.

This eventually led him to Pratal Mox, currently with his right arm in a sling. It started out with a rather awkward silence.

"Apologies for not helping with your shoulder as I promised." Tygan softly said.

"It is all right." Mox answered. "Betos told me about where you are going."

"So you know this means goodbye." Tygan answered, looking down.

"For now." Mox said. "We will meet again."

"I know. It's just…" Tygan started to stammer. "It doesn't take away that I will miss you." He managed eventually. "I've been by your side for long enough it will feel… empty without you." Mox looked at him for a moment, before closing his eyes and pressing his forehead against Tygan's.

"You do not have to feel empty. I am still here." He simply said as Tygan just closed his eyes, savoring the moment.

"I know." He softly said before they separated. "Until we meet again."

"Until we meet again." With that, Tygan headed off outside, where Bradford was waiting.

"Ready?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Tygan sighed, taking one last look back at what he started to call his home. He hoped to call it that again soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Once they arrived, the introduction tour across the Avenger was… awkward at best. Everyone he met looked at him strangely, distrust and unease clearly spread across their faces. Which in turn made him uneasy as well. He spend long enough around people who trusted him that he was confident that he could redeem himself for his work at ADVENT. Now, that confidence eroded with every person he saw. He could actively feel himself withdrawing within himself. Just trying to be polite in order not to anger people and bring the whole thing crashing down.

"This will be your lab." Bradford, who preferred to be called 'Central' he found out, said as they entered the area.

"Not bad." Tygan said, exploring the area. From experience he knew it was a rather small and basic setup, but he hadn't had a proper place to conduct research at the Skirmishers, so it was enough to satisfy him.

"It's the best we can do at the moment." Central apologised.

"Don't worry, I'll make due." Tygan said, walking to a chair as he took off his coat and bag and placed it on the back. It felt… wrong somehow. Like he was shedding part of himself. He looked at the Ripjack on his left hand. That he was outright nervous to remove. But he was also very much aware that it wouldn't help his case if he walked around with his weapon drawn in what was supposed to be a safe area. Central placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't think you'll need that here." He tried.

"I suppose I will take your word for that." Tygan softly said, removing the Ripjack and also placing it on the chair. Part of his brain knew it was silly, placing so much identity in objects. But without them he just felt even more like he didn't belong. His old ADVENT suit a stark reminder of what he once was.

He took a deep breath which he sighed out, before picking up a tablet that was placed on the desk.

His work at the Skirmishers was done.

His work with XCom was about to start.


End file.
